Ozzy Says He Now Believes Pot Leads To Other Addictions

MTV ^ | 07.08.2003 | Robert Mancini, with reporting by Gideon Yago

[presidio9]

Ozzy Osbourne may have weathered the lowest lows that drug addiction has to offer, but the news that his son Jack was seeking treatment for substance abuse taught him a lesson that his own decades of addiction never did.

"I used to think they should legalize pot, but you know what? They should ban the lot," Osbourne told MTV News, addressing Jack's battle for the first time. "One thing leads to another. Coffee leads to Red Bull, Red Bull leads to crank.

"When I found out the full depth of him getting into OxyContin, which is like hillbilly heroin, I was shocked and stunned," Osbourne continued. "The thing that's amazing was how rapidly he went from smoking pot to doing hillbilly heroin."

Ozzy's son entered a California rehabilitation facility in April to battle what was later revealed to be an addiction to the prescription painkiller OxyContin (see "Jack Osbourne Reveals He Was Addicted To Painkiller OxyContin"). Jack also said that he was drinking and using a variety of substances — including Vicodin, Valium, Xanax, Dilaudid, Lorcet, Lortab, Percocet and marijuana — before his trip to rehab (see "Rehab Helps Jack Osbourne Get To Root Of Addiction Problems").

Jack's laundry list of controlled substances made his father painfully aware of just how readily available drugs are. "When I started doing drugs years ago, they were hard to get, but today it's everywhere," Osbourne said. "It's not just America. It's not just California. It's not just Beverly Hills. It's not just downtown New York. It's not just London. It's all over the world" (see "All About OxyContin, The Pills Known As 'Killers' ").

This relatively easy access to allegedly "controlled" substances is especially hard for Ozzy to swallow given his firsthand experience with the damage that drugs can do.

"I'm 55 years old, and I didn't get off scot-free," Osbourne explained. "I have to take medication for the rest of my life because I've done so much neurological damage to my body," Osbourne said.

We'll have much more from our interviews with Ozzy and Jack in an "MTV News Now" special report, premiering Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET/PT (Jack's complete interview will appear on MTVNews.com when the show premieres). The show will be followed the next day by a repeat of MTV News' "True Life: I'm Hooked on OxyContin" at 6:30 p.m.

[presidio9]

I think you, like all other libertarians, are goofy. Your interpretation of the Constitution is simplistic and self-serving. It is because of people who share your philosophy that abortion is legal.

[Xenalyte]

What puzzles me is, what did they REALLY expect Jack to do? He wasn't in school, didn't seem to work, just hung out with his friends and spent money. Drug problems seem inevitable. Sad.

They don't seem to have any expectations for their children.

[Xenalyte]

Conservatives know that justice means protecting innocent people from druggies and that drug legalization dramatically reduces the quality of life in a society.

Please tell me how I am threatening you.

[MrLeRoy]

Sure I can---relegalization would reduce the following effects of the War On Some Drugs: deaths of innocents in drug-turf wars; deaths of users due to impurities or unexpectedly high potencies; enrichment of criminals; corruption of the justice system by enriched criminals; and lessened respect for the law in general.

Not to mention upholding the principle that adults should be free to make their own non-rights-violating choices (even if the choices they make are stupid).

This is untopian BS.

Your retort is empty blather.

You have no understanding of the effects of drugs on their users.

Sure I do---including the deadly addictive drugs alcohol and tobacco. But self-inflicted harms are none of the government's business, while the War On Some Drugs inflicts harm on many.

[Xenalyte]

You gotta wonder how he was using the narcs (IV?)

Every narcotic mentioned in Jacko's list is available in pill form. I'm wondering why, if he had Dilaudid and Vicodin, he bothered with weed.

[jayef]

What I find truly amazing is that Ozzy can't understand why his kid is the exception and not the rule. I would venture to say that this is the greatest part of Jack's problem. He has led a life of indulgence and his father, in a moment when blame should be squarely placed on his son, is looking for scapegoats and excuses. I have several cousins who have fallen victim to this same type of piss poor parenting. I can see it coming from miles away.

[Xenalyte]

Pot does seem to play a trick that catches some first time users unaware and sends them running to the hospital in a panic. Speeds the heart up (WAY up, much more than caffeine, which may not be good for people with known or latent cardiac conditions). It also produces perceptional changes which while not unpleasant are unfamiliar to the novice. Some people panic because they didn't expect this; they thought they would just mellow down physically as well as mentally. I've never had pot, ever so this is second hand. But the reports seem, to me, to be credible. And this is probably why the stuff remains banned. So be warned.

I have never, in all my life, met anyone to whom that has happened.

[KEVLAR]

Already been done. The fact that you cannot see it, cannot understand it, or chosse to ignore it has no bearing on me. The only way I would be junior to you is if you are overweight.

[dennisw]

He is on anti-psychotics and drugs to alleviate tremors.......


Are you sure of that? It's quite a tragedy and testimony about drug usage. One of the guys in the Small Faces died from the MS I think it was he got from drug usage.

[Sir Gawain]

It is because of people who share your philosophy that abortion is legal.

Abortion was legal before Roe v. Wade. Just FYI. Plus that attack really doesn't make any sense.

[MrLeRoy]

Your interpretation of the Constitution is simplistic and self-serving. It is because of people who share your philosophy that abortion is legal.

Rubbish---adhering to the letter of the Constitution rules out Roe v Wade with its emanations and penumbras.

[Xenalyte]

The fact that one harmful product is legal simply will never be justification for legalizing another.

Why not? If alcohol and tobacco, which demonstrably kill people all on their own, are legal, why not legalize something that has never caused an OD?

For the record, it is impossible to OD on weed.

[vin-one]

try some logic
Drugs are illegal, but anyone especialy kids can get them anytime they want.
Booze is legal, and kids try to get them, and not always easy to get
Ask any teenager, which is easier to get Beer or Pot?

The Wod is a big failure, it doesn't stop anyone from getting any drug they want,
in fact by it's nature makes it easier for kids to get
The dealer is already breaking the law, so why not sell it to kids
Now alcohol dealers, can lose their businesses by selling alcohol to kids.

Don't you think if it was regulated the black market would dry up
no profit no Drug lords......

[Sir Gawain]

Speeds the heart up (WAY up, much more than caffeine

It does increase heart rate, and probably more than caffeine. You are correct on that point. I wouldn't say "WAY" more though.

[jayef]

I won't even stoop to address your abortion strawman. My interpretation of the constitution is more popular than you might think. My interpretation is quite literal and is based on the philosophical foundations of it's authors. Why don't you share with me your interpretation of that document and what you think the 1st, 4th, 9th, 10th and 14th Amendments really mean, and why the War on Drugs is inconsistent with every one of them.

[Protagoras]

Ozzy Osbourne, the new spokesman for the taliban wing of the Republican party. Predictable if nothing else.

[dennisw]

Thanks for the info

[jmc813]

Time for the Liberdopians to queue up and call Ozzy a liar or misinformed.

Ozzy is being a bit hypocritical. Do you watch The Osbournes? Last week there was an episode where Ozzy went to the dentist and got whacked out of his skull on nitrous oxide, a drug that kills more brain cells than alcohol.

[Xenalyte]

I'd ask you to try to explain that to Leroy, but like all other Libertarians he's not very bright. Prolonged use of marijuana effects brain function.

Best watch out. Vin is not on your (misguided and immune-to-reason) side.

And for the record, "effect" is a noun. The word you're looking for is "affect," and I would refer you to this thread to refute you - but I doubt you'll take the time to read something that disagrees with your slanted, teensy worldview.

[Sir Gawain]

For the record, it is impossible to OD on weed.

How do you know? Are you a druggie? Have you tried to OD on weed? ;-)